


Compulsion

by JaySketchin



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Almost Kiss, Implied Crush, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Night Before the Conjunction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27985731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaySketchin/pseuds/JaySketchin
Summary: It's the night before the Great Conjunction, and Gurjin is losing control over both his destiny and emotions. (An interlude of Endurance)
Relationships: Gurjin/Rian (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Compulsion

The evening before the Conjunction was both the worst night of Gurjin’s life and one of his best. Sleep hadn’t come easy to him, so he had opted to stay awoke. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one. All of his friends were restless and ended up keeping each other awake. It wasn’t much, but he found assurance in the knowledge that his fear wasn’t an outlier amongst his loved ones. There was comfort in being afraid among other people.

It couldn’t last forever, though. Eventually, their little group of friends went to bed, one by one. Gurjin found himself as the second one to hold out longest. The other being the gelfling he enjoyed the presence of most.

“Are you still afraid?” Rian’s voice was soft and deep from looming exhaustion. He was walking alongside Gurjin, shoulder to shoulder as they patrolled through the camp just inside the Endless Forest’s border. The moon was covered by dark clouds, with just a soft halo of light peeking behind them. The firebugs and lanterns of their encampment provided the vision they needed to see where they were going.

Gurjin took a deep breath, feeling the air rattle through his chest. “Yeah,” he said honestly. “I mean- I’m not as _petrified_ as I was before, but I’m not enjoying myself, either.”

Rian hummed, eyes low. The dying grass crunched under their boots. “We can do this, Gurjin,” he said. The tone indicated that Rian was trying to be reassuring, even if he doubted it would help. “With all of us together, we have a chance- and that’s all we need. We can set things right.”

“What if it doesn’t?” Gurjin hated how cynical he sounded, but he couldn’t help it. The War had changed him- the gelfling who would be telling Rian these same things wasn’t quite there anymore. Not right now. “What if we heal it, but nothing gets better? What if- what if we get there, but it’s not like we thought it was?”

The question made Rian go quiet for a while. Gurjin waited and was almost ready to give up on listening. Then Rian cleared his throat. “Then we keep going,” he said. His voice was gentle but strong- sure of itself. “Then we make do. Maybe it won’t be like it was before, and maybe it won’t be easier… but we’ll still be here. We’ll still have our lives and will keep living them… and when the time comes, it’ll be the work of the ones who come after us to continue onward.” He looked up at Gurjin and bore a soft smile.

Gurjin hesitated, then let out a deep laugh. “I _hate_ how good you are at that,” he said, joking. Rian laughed and Gurjin found himself smiling despite the darkness over his shoulder. They had come up to his tent, and he hesitated. “Rian. I, um…” Gurjin began to gesture, but lowered his arms, unsure of himself. Words had entangled in his tongue and constricted his throat. “I- I don’t… if you don’t- if _I_ don’t… I wanted to say that you’re- we’re-”

Rian softened, then fell forward into Gurjin’s chest. His arms wrapped around Gurjin’s back as he hugged him. The action took the air out of Gurjin, body slumping forward. With hands that were scarcely beginning to tremble, he clutched at Rian’s back and crushed him against his chest. His breath shuddered and he closed his eyes.

“I know.” Rian’s voice was quiet and gently muffled by Gurjin’s shoulder and hair. It was another dozen breaths before he pulled away. “I know, Gurjin.” Rian’s eyes were kind, shining in the silver of moonlight that had broken through the dark clouds.

The action had taken a lot out of Gurjin, but he felt more sure of himself than he had all day. That was the effect Rian always had on him. No matter the mood, he could always lift his spirits and give him something to fight for. They were still holding onto one another by the arms, chests close. Gurjin’s ears fell back as he took the sight of Rian in. His eyes searched him, recalling each scar and line of his face. Gurjin wasn’t sure how he would’ve done without him. Tomorrow was their last stand, for the sake of everything. For Thra, their future, himself, Rian…

Something in his chest panged. Gurjin wasn’t sure what made him do it. All he knew was one moment he was standing still. Then the next he was leaning down. His head tilted to the side. Rian’s eyes widened ever so slightly, lips parting with Gurjin’s name trapped behind them. Gurjin could feel their breath mingle in the dry air…

He froze. Realization of what he was about to do struck him. Gurjin clamped his jaw- which was poised in the perfect position- shut and straightened his back. He cleared his throat and looked up. “If I find out you didn’t make it, I’m going to bring you back just to kill you a second time,” he said, as though he hadn’t just stopped himself from doing whatever he had been inches away from doing. 

Rian swallowed, brow raised in surprise. It crinkled as he silently fell into confusion and suspicion. “I-I’ll be alright,” he promised offhandedly. He searched Gurjin’s face. “... Gurjin, what-”

“See you tomorrow,” Gurjin interrupted quickly. Without another word, he spun on his heel, ripping himself out of Rian’s grasp and marching straight into his tent. Rian watched him hurriedly vanish, still standing in the clearing. He opened his mouth, furrowed his brow, then shut it. Shaking his head, Rian turned and walked in the direction of his own tent.

No. It couldn’t have been.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this last night! In my head, I had this scene that takes place before "Celebration" in Endurance of the Heart. It was about how the two spent their supposedly final interaction, and I had this lovely idea that Gurjin nearly kissed Rian a day earlier, but held back. It turned out very short but sweet, and I'm happy with it! I hope you are, too :)


End file.
